About the market and its owners

The Market

The Dresher Farm Market has been a fixture of the local community since the 1950s. It was started by a family that grew vegetables across the street, and grew over the years to serve as a small storefront selling a variety of local goods. Its legacy continues now as it is still run as a family business by owners that continue to grow vegetables on a small scale and are entrenched in the local farming community.

Dan Risser

Dan began farming in 2013, after spending a number of years in both the culinary and landscaping industries. Dan has always been inquisitive and spent many years researching environmental, social, and political issues, which in turn led to an interest in agriculture. Dan is finally realizing his long-time dream of running a small indoor local food store dedicated to supporting the local food movement.

Heidi Ochsenreither

Heidi began farming in 2013, five years into a textile design career. After learning about the profound effects that agriculture has on the environment, she became interested in local and organic food and joined a CSA in Philadelphia. She immediately fell in love with outdoor labor, fresh vegetables, the kind people she met, and the satisfaction of spending her life doing what she can to minimize humanity’s effect on nature.

Aldebaran Farm

Heidi and Dan own and operate Aldebaran Farm, a diversified farm on which they grow 1.5 acres of mixed vegetables and cut flowers. They have been bringing their produce to Downingtown Farmers Market in Chester County, PA since they started the farm in 2017. You can learn more about the farm at www.aldebaranfarm.com.